Merc’s Beat the Blizzard: What time will we get to Philadelphia on Sunday: 9 a.m.? 1 p.m.? Never?

My guess at this point is that Merc 49ers writer Dan Brown and I will arrive in Philadelphia at 11 a.m. Sunday morning, just in time to scramble to the stadium for the 1 p.m. kick-off for 49ers-Eagles, only 10 hours or so later than expected.

That’d be fun.

Our itinery says we’re supposed to arrive in Newark at 10 ET tomorrow night, then take the 2-hour (under normal conditions) drive to Philly, with an original ETA of something like 1:30 a.m.

But with a Great Blizzard just about to hit the Northeast… and no guarantee our flight ever get anywhere near Newark… and Avis not ready to supply us a sleigh and 8 dogs to travel the Jersey Turnpike/ski slope…

Trying to guess our Philly arrival time veers towards the absurd.

“Never” might be the best guess. (They’re forecasting “white out” conditions. That’s a new one for me. Thought that was only for Canadian playoff games.)

So let’s make this a game: What’s your guess for our arrival time in Philly?

I will report in whenever we get into our Philly hotel, or to the stadium, if we ever do.

(If Killion makes a guess, I’ll bet she’ll hit it on the nail, since she has hit every other part of this itinery dead on so far.)

Back story: Brown and I are scheduled to travel to Philadelphia tomorrow in a unique and potentially very slushy way.

Asked by our boss to save money, we were directed to book our trips through Newark. (Barrows and Maiocco flew in last night, lucky dogs. Others are flying directly to Philly this morning on a flight we could not afford.)

Fine. The company needs money. Dan and I were ready to do this if it was necessary.

However, when we booked the haphazard trip, I wondered what’d happen if it snowed along the way.

Storm of the century. (Don’t know if that’s true, but I like saying that.)

We might not make it. It’s very possible that Dan and I will be stranded in Chicago or Pittsburgh or somewhere, and it will dawn on us around 10 a.m. Sunday morning, in a distant air terminal, that the Mercury News will not have us reporting from the 49ers game on Sunday.

Our flight is scheduled to leave SFO early this afternoon. Let’s see what happens.

I hope we make it. And I hope it’s a great story. In those conditions, it’ll be a helluva game to cover.

Again, I’ll say we get to Philly at 11 a.m. Sunday, some way, some how.

But I could be wrong.

Tim Kawakami

Post navigation

ala Fisher in Game 2 vs Warriors-
Arrive heroically with 5 min left in the 4th Q to dramatically write the blog post that saves the nervous Niner fans from temporary boredom during a long Miller Light Commercial.

jimbo

the elephant in the room is are the damn 49ers even going to make it on time.

sorry, but we dont care as much if the beat reporters dont make it.

STAN…The real Stan.

The Merc is being penny wise,dollar foolish. Typical corporate way. I bet the Mercs owners Christmas party for execs is quadruple the cost of 49er trip.
You probably can’t even rent a 4×4..

AP

TK,

Which airline are you flying? United? Continental?

Little known trick. When airlines are in IRROPS mode (irregular operations – fancy way of saying all hell has broken loose, usually due to weather), you can request all kinds of unusual requests…like, “hey, if it would be easier to just put us on the flight directly to Philadelphia, we’ll take that”. The airline employees have a lot more flexibility under these conditions. Doesn’t hurt to ask.

If you are on Continental, they are now partners with United, so they might even rebook you on the United flight, if you are REALLY nice to them. Tell them you’ll even include their employer in the story for being so accommodating. They need the good press these days.

AP

AP

My guess, you are scheduled on the 1:30 Continental flight to EWR, ask them to rebook you to the United 3:00 flight directly to Philly, and tell them that you are sportswriters covering the 49ers – hopefully they are SF fans!

At least they moved the game back 3 hours so now you have until 4:15 EST to get to the stadium!

bigbullship

I agree with the other posters-If you a reasonable and assertive with the airline people you have a chance of improving your flight(s). If that doesnt work-just stay on you schduled flight – rent a car(pay for the oppgrade to a 4×4 yourself if you have to) and drive to Philly- AND GET OVER YOURSELF. I have had to make very diffcult trips at lousey times in rotten weather many time over the years- but it was/is my F@#$ng job and I did it because I am a grown-up and that was the price of keeping my good job(and even not so good jobs).

Honestly TK you come off like whiney child sometimes-and a puzzy. Hell, if you gave me your tickets and flight – I would make the trip for free just to see a live NFL game- it would be an adventure and make for a fun weekend- so stop whining.

STAN…The real Stan.

Well,you got a break-they delayed the game’s start by three hours. Bummer for us,because now its 49ers and Raiders at the same time..after neither last Sunday.
What’s with this Dallas,N.O. game being not televised? Comcast charges extra for EVERYTHING, soon sound and color will be extra fee’s.
Break up Comcast! pass it on….

Another Loss_No Surprise

Just another reason (though who needs ANOTHER one) to NOT watch the Raiders game. Apparently even Mother Nature hates the Raiders!

colonel

Dallas just put a big nail in Niner’s slim remaining playoff hopes. The game could be very interesting if it is freezing and wet. Turnovers, unpredictable slips and stumbles, windblown passes and kicks. Forecast is partly sunny around 3PM, 31degrees with 14 mph wind. Enjoy

colonel

Eagles pushed back the start from 1 pm to 4:15 . Could help 49ers, who are 1-8 the last three seasons in 1 p.m. starts on East Coast, 0-4 this year.

Marco

TK- I can’t stand Philly airport. Flying to Newark is always better except for the Blizzard of 2009 (weather channel term). Buy yourself some gloves and you should be fine before and after the game. Hope you have your winter all weather shoes too with you. If necessary buy a scarf too so you don’t look like you are from the West Coast. Try to fit in and look like a local. No snowball throwing unless the 49ers win.

Jacob Wang

Had Jed’s parents still owned the team, I wouldn’t have been surprised if the team would have cut it this close, even when the weather’s terrific.

Jacob Wang

Maiocco & Barrows essentially work for the same company. Did they plan ahead?